Written Answers Friday 2 June 2006

Scottish Executive

Asthma

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that people with asthma have healthy working environments.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive established the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives 2005. The remit of the centre includes the promotion of the health and wellbeing of employees and of safe and healthy workplaces.

  The centre incorporates the Safe and Healthy Working services which offers free, confidential advice on occupational health and safety to small and medium-sized enterprises.

  The centre also runs the Scotland’s Health at Work Award Scheme which encourages employers to adopt policies aimed at protecting and improving the health and wellbeing of their employees.

  Enforcement of statutory requirements for workplace Health and Safety is the remit of the Health and Safety Executive.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25442 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 May 2006, in what way the research strategy implemented by the Medical Research Council (MRC) in 2003 "encourages" a programme of specifically clinical research into the link between bowel disease and autism and what evidence of success can be demonstrated in this regard and, given that the MRC and Chief Scientist Office do not operate by commissioning research to address specific questions, what strategy the Executive has in place to encourage research into novel and innovative approaches to neurological problems in children that have been regarded as solely genetic in origin but may be caused by environmental factors such as heavy metal toxicity.

Lewis Macdonald: In 2002-03, the Medical Research Council (MRC) hosted four research forums in order to stimulate discussion across all aspects of autism. One of those forums was specifically on gut function in children with autism spectrum disorders. Following those meetings, researchers were given advice on how to submit their research proposals to the MRC. As indicated in my answer to question S2W-25442, the MRC received only a few applications on bowel disease and autism and none were deemed of sufficient quality to receive funding. However, since 2003, the MRC has funded 12 research projects on autism covering a diverse range of projects. This represents a total commitment by the MRC of £3.1 million to autism research as a direct result of the MRC’s research strategy.

  The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) encourages research proposals to be submitted across a wide spectrum of health and healthcare issues. This role is well known and advertised throughout the healthcare and academic community. CSO would welcome research proposals on neurological problems in children which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of significant evidence from the parents of autistic children and documented evidence in peer-reviewed and published literature that painful bowel problems are a feature of such children’s condition and in light of any reluctance by paediatric gastroenterologists to examine these children, what immediate steps will be taken to set up an autism-specific gastrointestinal unit in a hospital to treat autistic children suffering from pain.

Lewis Macdonald: Any child with a painful bowel problem would be referred to and seen by a Paediatrician or Paediatric Gastroenterologist regardless of whether or not they are autistic. There is no reason for separating autistic children from other children in this context.

Birds

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-20474 and S2W-25525 by Rhona Brankin on 17 November 2005 and 16 May 2006 respectively, why it did not issue new guidance to local authorities on best practice measures on the control of urban seagulls early in 2006, as stated in the answer to S2W-20474.

Rhona Brankin: Chapter 7 of the Review of Urban Gulls and their Management in Scotland outlines the wide range of powers available to local authorities to deal with the various problems caused by urban gulls. Chapter 8 provides best practice recommendations, including guidance on various mitigation techniques.

  As the report already provides extensive information and guidance, I should like to hear the views of the Petitions Committee and local authorities before considering whether further guidance from the Executive could contribute anything further.

Civil Service Relocation

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that Audit Scotland will publish its forthcoming report on the relocation of Scottish Executive departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

George Lyon: The date of publication of Audit Scotland reports is entirely a matter for Audit Scotland.

Civil Service Relocation

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to announce any further public sector job relocations in advance of the publication of Audit Scotland’s forthcoming report on the Executive’s relocation policy.

George Lyon: The date of publication of Audit Scotland reports is entirely a matter for Audit Scotland. This will not be a factor in determining the timing of any future announcements of public sector job relocations.

Concessionary Travel

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that disabled pensioners have the opportunity to gain as much benefit from their entitlement to free national travel as able-bodied pensioners.

Tavish Scott: The Confederation of Passenger Transport and local authority and disability representatives were included on task groups set up to advise on the development of the Scotland-wide free bus scheme for older and disabled people. These task groups considered aspects of equity of access, including which coach and bus services would be eligible in the scheme and the eligibility criteria for individuals.

Crofters Commission

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Crofters Commission has used each of its enforcement powers in each of the last 10 years.

Rhona Brankin: The commission’s powers of enforcement are contained in various sections of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993.

  There has been extensive use of the absentee powers and this information is reported in detail in the Crofters Commission’s annual reports. The forcing of re-letting has been used extensively, often in conjunction with absentee action.

  The following table shows the number of:

  (1) crofts declared vacant by the commission – mostly through unresolved successions.

  (2) where the commission has instigated reletting action of the croft at its own hand following issue of a section 23 notice (action taken against owner-occupier absentees) seeking suitable reletting proposals. Since the absentee initiative started in 1997 the commission has issued a total of 44 such notices - 41 of which resulted in suitable reletting proposals and the three in the table where the Commission took the initiative to relet the crofts.

  (3) the absentee section 22 cases (action taken against absentee tenants) where the Commission terminated someone’s tenancy.

  

 
 1. Commission Declare Croft Vacant
 2. Commission Instigated Relet Action
 3. Section 22


 1996-97
 3
 1
 2


 1997-98
 1
 
 6


 1998-99
 1
 
 16


 1999-2000
 
 
 13


 2000-01
 4
 1
 18


 2001-02
 1
 
 15


 2002-03
 3
 
 6


 2003-04
 3
 
 3


 2004-05
 
 1
 2


 2005-06
 2
 
 10


 
 18
 3
 91



  In addition, when the Crofters Commission carried out a Register Review exercise in the mid 90s it reminded landlords of their obligations in terms of section 40 (obligation of landlords to provide information) of the act. Last year the commission issued a formal notice on this basis to a landlord in Shetland.

  It is important to point out that contrary to popular misconception the Crofters Commission has no powers to tackle neglect or abuse of croft land. These powers rest with landlords.

Dentistry

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists have stopped providing NHS services since the publication of An Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland , broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown in the following table. It should be noted (a) that ISD Scotland does not collect information on the specific reasons why dentists cease to provide NHS general dental services and (b) that ISD Scotland would expect a "drop-out" rate of dentists to be observed over any period through retirals, resignations, etc.

  Number of Dentists who have Stopped Providing NHS General Dental Services since the Publication of An Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland (17 March 2005)1,2,3; by NHS Board Area

  

 NHS board
 No. of Dentists


 Argyll and Clyde
 15


 Ayrshire and Arran
 10


 Borders
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway
 4


 Fife
 14


 Forth Valley
 16


 Grampian
 14


 Greater Glasgow
 45


 Highland
 8


 Lanarkshire
 28


 Lothian
 36


 Orkney 
 3


 Shetland
 1


 Tayside
 17


 Western Isles
 -


 Scotland1,2,3,4
 130



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System). Data extracted on 26 May 2006.

  Notes:

  1. The number of non-salaried and salaried NHS general dental service principals who terminated all list numbers in one NHS board area in the period 17 March 2005 to 31 March 2006.

  2. Some NHS general dental service principals may have terminated all list numbers in one NHS board area, but still provide NHS services elsewhere in Scotland.

  3. NHS general dental service principals may cease providing NHS services on a temporary basis.

  4. NHS general dental practitioners (GDPs) enter into an arrangement with their local NHS board. A GDP may have more than one arrangement with an NHS board if he/she has more than one practice, and an arrangement with more than one NHS board if he/she practises in more than one NHS board area. As a result, the sum of the number of dentists in each NHS board area exceeds the number of dentists practising in Scotland.

Dentistry

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists have started providing NHS services since the publication of An Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland , broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Number of Dentists who have Started Providing NHS General Dental Services since the Publication of An Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland (17 March 2005) 1,2,3; by NHS Board Area

  

 NHS Board
 No. of Dentists


 Argyll and Clyde
 35


 Ayrshire and Arran
 11


 Borders
 5


 Dumfries and Galloway
 4


 Fife
 10


 Forth Valley
 25


 Grampian
 20


 Greater Glasgow
 52


 Highland
 16


 Lanarkshire
 26


 Lothian
 26


 Orkney 
 6


 Shetland
 1


 Tayside
 18


 Western Isles
 2


 Scotland1,2,3,4
 176



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System). Data extracted on 26 May 2006.

  Notes:

  1. The number of non-salaried and salaried NHS general dental service principals who were not active at any point in the year prior to 17 March 2005 in one NHS board area and who opened at least one list number in the corresponding NHS board in the period 17 March 2005 to 31 March 2006.

  2. Some NHS general dental service principals may have been providing NHS services in another NHS board area in the year prior to 17 March 2005.

  3. NHS general dental service principals may cease providing NHS services on a temporary basis.

  4. NHS general dental practitioners (GDPs) enter into an arrangement with their local NHS board. A GDP may have more than one arrangement with an NHS board if he/she has more than one practice, and an arrangement with more than one NHS board if he/she practises in more than one NHS board area. As a result, the sum of the number of dentists in each NHS board area exceeds the number of dentists practising in Scotland.

Dentistry

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school dentists are employed in each local authority area.

Lewis Macdonald: The School Dental Service no longer exists. A limited range of functions of the former School Dental Service were transferred to the Community Dental Service in the 1970s.

  Information on the number of Community Dental Service dentists employed across NHSScotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at: http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

  However, information is not held centrally on how many of these dentists are engaged in service provision in schools.

Dentistry

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what protocols are in place for school dentists to refer patients on to other (a) NHS and (b) private dentists.

Lewis Macdonald: The school dental service no longer exists. A limited range of functions of the former school dental service were transferred to the Community Dental Service in the 1970s Protocols are available to refer patients to other NHS services. However, they differ between areas depending on need and availability of independent NHS general dental practitioners willing to accept patients. No protocols are available to refer children to non NHS services.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected running costs are for each of the next three financial years in respect of dental premises at (a) Dykebar Hospital, (b) Russell Institute, Paisley, (c) NW Kilmarnock, (d) Kilbirnie, (e) Hawick, (f) Borders General Hospital site, Melrose, (g) Dumfries Dental Centre, (h) Emergency Dental Triage Centre, Fife, (i) Cowdenbeath Dental Centre, (j) Cupar, (k) Dovecot Clinic, Glenrothes, (l) Leslie, (m) Dunfermline Eastern Expansion, (n) Langlees Dental Centre, Falkirk, (o) Bilbohall, Elgin, (p) Buckie modular unit, (q) Keith modular unit, (r) Foresterhill: Aberdeen Outreach Training Centre, (s) Glasgow Primary Care Dental Treatment Centre, (t) Plean Street Clinic Replacement, Yoker, (u) Inverness East, (v) Portree, (w) Grantown, (x) Fort William, (y) Coatbridge Dental Centre, (z) Extension to Greenhills Health Centre, East Kilbride, (aa) Extension to Biggar Health Centre, (bb) NHS Dental Access Centre, Bonnyrigg, (cc) New Clinical Facility in Edinburgh Dental Institute, (dd) Dundee Primary Care Dental Access Centre and (ee) Integrated Dental Treatment and Training Centre, Perth.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

  NHS boards are responsible for the revenue consequences of their capital developments.

  Where these centres involve education and training further support is available from NHS Education for Scotland.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing arrangements are at dental premises at (a) Dykebar Hospital, (b) Russell Institute, Paisley, (c) NW Kilmarnock, (d) Kilbirnie, (e) Hawick, (f) Borders General Hospital site, Melrose, (g) Dumfries Dental Centre, (h) Emergency Dental Triage Centre, Fife, (i) Cowdenbeath Dental Centre, (j) Cupar, (k) Dovecot Clinic, Glenrothes, (l) Leslie, (m) Dunfermline Eastern Expansion, (n) Langlees Dental Centre, Falkirk, (o) Bilbohall, Falkirk, (p) Buckie modular unit, (q) Keith modular unit, (r) Foresterhill: Aberdeen Outreach Training Centre, (s) Glasgow Primary Care Treatment Centre, (t) Plean Street Clinic Replacement, Yoker, (u) Inverness East, (v) Portree, (w) Grantown, (x) Fort William, (y) Coatbridge Dental Centre, (z) Extension to Greenhills Health Centre, East Kilbride, (aa) Extension to Biggar Health Centre, (bb) NHS Dental Access Centre, Bonnyrigg, (cc) New Clinical Facility in Edinburgh Dental Institute, (dd) Dundee Primary Care Dental Access Centre and (ee) Integrated Dental Treatment and Training Centre, Perth, showing the number of (i) qualified dentists appointed and in post, (ii) qualified dentist posts requiring to be filled, (iii) qualified dental nurses appointed and in post, (iv) qualified dental nurse posts requiring to be filled, (v) qualified dental therapists appointed and in post, (vi) qualified dental therapist posts requiring to be filled, (vii) qualified dental hygienists appointed and in post and (viii) qualified dental hygienist posts requiring to be filled.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

  NHS boards are responsible for the revenue consequences of their capital developments.

  Where these centres involve education and training further support is available from NHS Education for Scotland.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS dental facilities include dental students on a (a) part-time and (b) full-time basis.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. There are plans to develop clinical outreach facilities in every health board area and it is anticipated that this will result in a considerable expansion in student involvement over the next two years as the Dental Action Plan develops and more clinical dental facilities become available.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average full-time equivalent number of dental students is at each NHS dental facility other than the two dental schools.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost is of locating dental students at each dental facility other than the two dental schools.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average duration of stay of dental students is at each dental facility other than the two dental schools.

Lewis Macdonald: It is anticipated that, as more clinical dental outreach facilities become available in Scotland over the next three years, every dental student in their final year will have between 10 and 20 weeks’ experience in one of these centres.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level of dental teacher staffing is at each dental facility other than the two dental schools.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. The dental teacher staffing level of community dental facilities is set by the Universities and NHS Education for Scotland and agreed with the General Dental Council.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the proposed level of dental teacher staffing is at each dental facility other than the two dental schools.

Lewis Macdonald: Levels of dental teaching staff are set by the universities and NHS Education for Scotland and agreed with the General Dental Council. It is for health boards to appoint appropriate staff to deliver training and supervision for dental students in their area.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the academic qualifications and status are of each member of supervising staff at each dental facility other than the two dental schools.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. Dental students at outreach facilities will be subject to standards of supervision at least equal to those provided for students in their final year at a dental school.

Drug Misuse

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what antenatal care is available to mothers with a drug addiction, broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for individual NHS boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

Education

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school nurses each local authority employs in (a) nursery, (b) primary and (c) secondary schools.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines an effective area management agreement in respect of finfish aquaculture.

Rhona Brankin: An effective area management agreement is a written document signed by the local finfish industry and wild fish representatives which informs local fish farm practices and the sharing of information between the parties.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the term "effective area management" in the context of finfish aquaculture has any legal status.

Rhona Brankin: The tripartite working group is a purely voluntary initiative put in place to develop best practice between the finfish industry and the wild fish interests. In this context the term "effective area management" has no legal status.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given that area management agreements (AMAs) are voluntary and their details are a matter for partners to tailor to their circumstances, the condition that an effective, integrated AMA should be in place is a sufficiently robust condition to impose in an assessment of a fish farm licence.

Rhona Brankin: The assessment of a fish farm license requires both a technical assessment and a decision making process. The decision making process has to be able to take account of stakeholder views and as such if the public raise issues related to area management agreements etc. then they can be taken into account.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the potential for farmed cod to host Calimus elongates sea lice and to transfer them to wild salmon.

Rhona Brankin: The potential for farmed cod to host the sea lice caligus elongatus and the impact this type of sea lice would have on Atlantic salmon was addressed in a 2005 report by the Fisheries Research Services. It was concluded that this strain of sea lice posed only a minor risk to farmed Atlantic salmon. Possible implications for wild stocks were not addressed, but it is reasonable to assume that these would be no greater than for farmed stock.

Fisheries

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hoteliers and restaurateurs were sent the consultation on the regulatory impact assessment in respect of the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Ross Finnie: The Regulatory Impact Assessment to accompany the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005 was sent to fishing industry representatives for comment during the consultation process rather than individual hoteliers and restaurateurs. However, during the summer of 2005 we placed adverts in the hospitality trade press to publicise the scheme and requested the assistance of the British Hospitality Association and VisitScotland to contact their members. Furthermore, we wrote to trade organisations on the recommendation of VisitScotland to publicise the scheme.

Fisheries

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any charge is made for the registration of buyers of first sale fish under the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not make any charge for the registration of buyers of first sale fish under the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Fisheries

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the cost to business of supplying sales notes under the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005 in respect of fish landings from under-10-metre vessels.

Ross Finnie: In the Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanied the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005 the Scottish Executive estimated that during 2004 there were in excess of 70,000 landings in Scotland and 20,000 were by under 10m vessels. All businesses affected by the scheme already made some resource available to collate landing information with a view to providing it to the fishermen who supply them. However, we were aware that the greatest scale of regime change would be in the sector which buys directly from vessels and we therefore provided them with additional time to make any necessary changes before they were obliged to submit sales notes. We have also provided sales notes and templates for use by businesses as well as developing an online sales note. It was on this basis that the costs to businesses were estimated to be minimal.

Fisheries

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many buyers of direct sale fish have registered under the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Ross Finnie: As of 30 May 396 buyers were registered with the Scottish Executive under the Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Genetically Modified Food

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, any meetings with companies or organisations involved in the manufacture or supply of genetically modified food products.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has not had any meetings, nor are any meetings planned with any companies or organisations in relation to the manufacture or supply of genetically modified food products.

Health

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) in-utero and (b) ex-utero transfers from Scotland to locations outside Scotland have taken place in each year since 1997.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual NHS boards.

Health

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether oxygen cylinders of a capacity smaller than 460 litres can be provided on prescription in Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: Portable oxygen has been available on prescription since 1 April 2004.

  The preferred cylinders for the supply of portable oxygen at present on the Scottish Drug Tariff are 300 litres PD and 430 litres B2i cylinders.

Homelessness

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether conditions are placed on local authorities regarding how they spend the money that they receive to address homelessness and, if so, what these conditions are.

Malcolm Chisholm: The "ringfenced" Homelessness Task Force funding allocated to local authorities to tackle homelessness in their areas must be spent on the implementation of homelessness strategies, in a way which is consistent with the achievement of the recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force. The funding is subject to a set of standard terms and conditions as set out in the offer of grant letters which local authorities receive.

  Local authorities also receive funding which was originally associated with the Rough Sleepers Initiative, and a general homelessness allocation. These, like the Homelessness Task Force funding, are provided for the implementation of homelessness strategies. However, while badged for this purpose, these two lines are now distributed via the Revenue Support Grant which local authorities receive automatically on a weekly basis. As such they are unhypothecated, and local authorities are not obliged to spend these monies on homelessness activity.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the law officers have attended a political party fundraising event in an official capacity since January 2000 and, if so, in which year, for which political party and for what purpose.

Colin Boyd QC: Neither the current Solicitor General nor I have attended such an event since taking up our current positions. No records are held by the Executive on attendance by previous incumbents.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with a mental health problem were treated without being prescribed any drugs in each year since 2000, also expressed as a percentage of the total number of people with a mental health problem.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for what average time in-patients with a mental health problem remained in hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: The most recent available information requested is given in the table.

  In-Patient Discharges from Psychiatric Hospitals in Scotland and Average Length of Stay in Weeks (ALOS) by NHS Board of Treatment for Calendar Years 1999 to 2001P

  

 
 
 1999
 2000
 2001P


 Episodes
 ALOS
 Episodes
 ALOS
 Episodes
 ALOS


 NHS Scotland
 30,984
 19
 31,179
 18
 29,696
 15


 Argyll and Clyde
 3,006
 20
 3,100
 21
 3,250
 18


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2,568
 12
 2,421
 12
 2,257
 10


 Borders
 640
 13
 642
 11
 663
 9


 Dumfries and Galloway
 760
 41
 853
 91
 773
 24


 Fife
 1,877
 15
 1,754
 13
 1,814
 24


 Forth Valley
 1,241
 55
 1,298
 21
 1,132
 13


 Grampian
 2,543
 13
 2,718
 17
 2,613
 16


 Greater Glasgow
 5,841
 22
 5,795
 17
 5,415
 19


 Highland
 1,466
 8
 1,647
 13
 1,295
 7


 Lanarkshire
 2,902
 9
 3,003
 12
 3,036
 14


 Lothian
 5,228
 16
 5,140
 14
 4,624
 6


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Tayside
 2,747
 26
 2,624
 18
 2,649
 18


 Western Isles
 165
 10
 184
 9
 175
 9



  PProvisional.

  Source: ISD SMR04.

  More recent data have not yet been accredited.

Roads

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications will meet members of the public and interested organisations who have written to him in order that he might directly address their concerns about how he reached his decision on the route for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Tavish Scott: I have explained my reasons why the route was chosen in reply to correspondence and this has been widely reported. I met a group of local residents on 25 May and representatives of "Road-Sense" on 1 June.

Roads

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will abandon plans to build the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route if it is demonstrated that the project will cost considerably more than the £400 million that has been estimated.

Tavish Scott: We expect that the cost of the scheme will lie between £295 million and £395 million. As with all our infrastructure investment projects we will keep costs, affordability and value for money under review.

Roads

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Aberdeen City Council will be required to assume full financial responsibility for the maintenance of North Anderson Drive when its current trunk road status transfers to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Tavish Scott: Responsibility for any road that is de-trunked passes from the Scottish ministers to the local roads authority. Plans for the existing A90 have yet to be finalised.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25625 by Tavish Scott on 18 May 2006, what the reason was for the delay in publishing the draft orders for the A7 Auchenrivock scheme.

Tavish Scott: The Environmental Statement, which has to be published with the draft orders, required additional work to meet the quality requirements of Transport Scotland.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider improving road access into and out of the Seafar and Ravenswood areas of Cumbernauld as part of the upgrade of the A80 to address the issue of limited access when traffic is diverted from the A80 to the A8011 as a result of accident or works on the A80.

Tavish Scott: A new access road would be provided to the existing Seafar cottages which would not connect directly to the new M80 and would therefore provide constant access. This issue was dealt with at the Public Local Inquiry in October 2005.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the Scottish manufacturing and tourism sectors will be of restricting access to the upgraded A80 as proposed.

Tavish Scott: Other than the limited access junction at Dalshannon (Condorrat), which would be closed on safety grounds all existing accesses would be maintained or improved. In the future, where required, integral demand management measures targeted at benefiting public transport and economically important traffic would be deployed over the whole M80/M876 corridor to maintain a satisfactory level of service on the new section of the route.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has monitored traffic flow on the A80 at the upgraded Auchenkilns intersection to assess any improvement since the roundabout was replaced by a grade-separated junction and, in particular, whether issues have arisen as a result of tailbacks on the A73 at its junction with the A80.

Tavish Scott: Traffic flows have been monitored and have shown the expected improvement in flow on the A80 through the junction. No issues in respect of the A73 have been identified.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in replanting the trees that were removed to enable the Auchenkilns grade-separated junction to be constructed.

Tavish Scott: Approximately 40,000 native trees and some 500 metres of native hedgerow have been planted as part of the Auchenkilns Junction Improvement. The landscaping works are now complete. Although the contractor remains responsible for five years for maintenance and replacement planting where growth failure occurs.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Roads

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) Aberdeen Council and (b) Aberdeenshire Council about the funding of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Tavish Scott: Discussions have taken place with both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council about the funding for the project. These discussions are continuing and I expect an agreement to be concluded shortly.

Roads

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place with the public about the Netherley spur of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).

Tavish Scott: The connection north from Stonehaven via Netherley was included in the public consultation held last year. Since my announcement on 1 December 2005 my officials and the AWPR Managing Agent have held discussions with affected parties along the route and will continue to do so.

  The statutory consultation will take place following the publication of the draft roads orders towards the end of this year.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, given (a) the statement by the Minister for Justice on 22 April 2006 at the launch of the Mulhearn Action Plan for the Scottish Fingerprint Service that, in order to restore public confidence in the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO), "I am determined to ensure that the Scottish Fingerprint Service is recognised - at home and abroad - as truly world class", (b) that the Scottish ministers have concluded that the identification by SCRO experts of the Shirley McKie print is wrong and that the Mulhearn report confirmed this conclusion, (c) the statements made by the Director and the Deputy Director of SCRO to the Justice 1 Committee on 26 April 2006 that a majority of experts at SCRO disagreed with the Scottish ministers who said the print was wrong ( Official Report , Justice 1 Committee, c. 2878) and (d) that these experts had confirmed these beliefs in a letter, dated 14 November 2005, to Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, whether it would agree that the experts’ behaviour (i) undermines the minister’s goal of a "truly world class" fingerprint service, (ii) reduces public faith in that service and (iii) constitutes a danger to any persons appearing before Scottish courts on the basis of fingerprint evidence, whether it will revoke with immediate effect the expert status conferred on those SCRO experts under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 to make expert reports and to give expert evidence in the courts and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: In presenting The Scottish Fingerprint Service Action Plan for Excellence to the Justice 1 Committee on 26 April 2006, Deputy Chief Constable Mulhern described the fingerprint service as "a collective of people who are very keen to act corporately to take the service forward". The Plan, alongside the work that has already been undertaken and referred to in the answer to question S2W-23158 on 17 February 2006, is intended to command the confidence of the criminal justice system and the wider public in the fingerprint evidence presented to Scottish courts. Copies of the plan have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39556).

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  The fingerprint officers involved in the court presentation of fingerprint evidence in the Marion Ross murder case are not providing and are not eligible to provide fingerprint evidence in court.

Tourism

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with VisitScotland concerning the impact on tourism revenue and employment of the proposed net servicing station at Stromeferry.

Patricia Ferguson: Officials have received one query about the proposed development and this was directed to the local VisitScotland Network Office. No other discussions have taken place between the Scottish Executive and VisitScotland in relation to this matter.